Method And System For Interactive Multimedia

ABSTRACT

A high capacity interactive multimedia system is provided that can deliver large number of concurrent video on demand and high speed data streams in an integrated fashion to a plurality of subscribers located at one or more subscriber sites. A video server module in the system generates a plurality of video on demand streams, which are transported via a high capacity transport system to a plurality of clients located at a subscriber site. A web server in the system stores data, such as web pages, which are also transported via the high capacity transport system to the clients. By accessing the web pages, a plurality of subscribers interact with the system via the clients. The interactive multimedia system controls and monitors in a centralized fashion the hardware and software components of the system, thus assuring the quality of the video and data services provided to the subscribers.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.60/074,965, filed Feb. 18, 1998, the contents of which are incorporatedherein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to video and data networks and, moreparticularly, to a method and system for delivering interactivemultimedia.

2. Background of the Art

With recent advancements in communication network and video servertechnologies, a growing number of multimedia systems are emerging. Theseemerging multimedia systems generally can deliver both video (e.g.,video on demand) and data (e.g., web based information from theInternet) to about 200 to 400 subscribers located at one or moregeographically dispersed subscriber sites, which may include hotels or amulti-dwelling corporate offices.

These emerging multimedia systems, however, have several disadvantages:First, despite the recent advancements in communication network andvideo server technologies, these emerging systems have limited capacity:i.e., cannot deliver more than 400 concurrent video on demand and highspeed data streams to a large number of subscribers. Second, as thenumber of subscribers at a subscriber site increases, the number ofconcurrent video streams and data that must be delivered to thesubscribers generally increases as well. However, the capacity of theseemerging systems cannot be expanded to address this increased demandwithout a significant redesign of these systems. Third, subscribersgenerally cannot use the video and data services provided by thesesystems in an interactive fashion. Finally, these emerging systems havefailed to deliver high quality video and data in an integrated fashionbecause of the diverging network requirements for transporting video anddata.

It is therefore desirable to improve upon these emerging multimediasystems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Methods and systems consistent with the present invention provide animproved multimedia system that has several advantages over the priorart: First, the improved multimedia system can deliver a large number ofconcurrent video on demand and high speed data streams, such as 500,1000 or more concurrent video streams, in an integrated fashion to alarge number of subscribers, while assuring a high video quality.Second, subscribers can interact with the system through web-basedinteractive user interfaces. Third, the system is scalable, i.e. itscapacity, such as the number of concurrent video streams and the totalduration of the video titles stored, can be increased withoutredesigning the system. Fourth, the system can monitor and control in acentralized fashion its respective hardware and software modules, thusassuring the quality of video and data services provided to thesubscribers.

In accordance with methods and systems consistent with the presentinvention, a high capacity interactive multimedia system is providedthat comprises a video server module that includes a plurality ofmassively parallel nodes for streaming a plurality of video streams fromone or more video titles stored in the video server module, a web serverthat stores data, a high capacity transport system for transporting thevideo streams and the data to a plurality of clients, and a set ofdisplay devices connected to the clients, respectively, for displayingthe video streams and the data. The data stored in the web server mayinclude web pages through which subscribers interact with theinteractive multimedia system. The system also includes a controller forcontrolling and monitoring the video server module, the web server, thehigh capacity transport system, and the clients.

High capacity is defined herein to include delivery of more than 400concurrent video on demand streams to a large number of clients.Alternatively, super high capacity is defined herein to include deliveryof 1000 or more concurrent video on demand streams to a large number ofclients. The clients may include set top boxes, personal computers, orother computing devices capable of receiving video and data streams onhigh speed bidirectional connections and displaying the streams ondisplay monitors. A high speed connection is defined herein to includeconnections that transport integrated video and data streams at speedsof 25 Mbps or greater.

This summary and the following description of the invention should notrestrict the scope of the claimed invention. Both provide examples andexplanations to enable others to practice the invention. Theaccompanying drawings, which form part of the description of theinvention, show several embodiments of the invention, and together withthe description, explain the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the Figures:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an interactive multimedia system inaccordance with methods and systems consistent with the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a video server module in accordance withmethods and systems consistent with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a node in a video server module inaccordance with methods and systems consistent with the presentinvention;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a set top box in accordance with methodsand systems consistent with the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a web server in accordance with methods andsystems consistent with the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a flow chart of the steps performed by a set top box, a systemcontroller, a web server, and a video server in an interactivemultimedia system in accordance with methods and systems consistent withthe present invention;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a listing of programs displayed on adisplay monitor in an interactive multimedia system in accordance withmethods and systems consistent with the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a listing of movie categories displayed ona display monitor in an interactive multimedia system in accordance withmethods and systems consistent with the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a listing of news and weather informationdisplayed on a display monitor in an interactive multimedia system inaccordance with methods and systems consistent with the presentinvention; and

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a listing of an on-line shopping servicesdisplayed on a display monitor in an interactive multimedia system inaccordance with methods and systems consistent with the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description of embodiments of this invention refers to theaccompanying drawings. Where appropriate, the same reference numbers indifferent drawings refer to the same or similar elements.

In accordance with methods and systems consistent with the presentinvention, a high capacity interactive multimedia system is providedthat can deliver a large number of concurrent video and data streams,such as 500 or more, in an integrated fashion to a plurality ofsubscribers located at one or more subscriber sites. A video servermodule in the system generates a plurality of video streams, which aretransported via a high capacity transport system to a plurality ofclients located at a subscriber site. A web server in the system storesdata, such as web pages, which are also transported via the highcapacity transport system to the clients. By accessing the web pages, aplurality of subscribers interact with the system via the clients. Theinteractive multimedia system controls and monitors in a centralizedfashion the hardware and software components of the system, thusassuring the quality of the video and data services provided to thesubscribers.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an interactive multimedia system (IMS) 100in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the invention.IMS 100 comprises a controlling office 110, which connects via a highcapacity transport system 150 to a subscriber site 160 or,alternatively, to a plurality of subscriber site. Controlling office 110includes a content provider module 120, a management module 130, and avideo server module 140, all interconnected via a LAN switch 145. LANswitch 145 and video server module 140 each connect to high capacitytransport system 150. Controlling office 110 may also interface via LANswitch 145 with an Internet Protocol (IP) network 155 such as theInternet.

High capacity transport system 150 comprises an ATM network 152 and anetwork access module 170. ATM network 152 includes one or more ATMswitches, which interface with video server module 140 and LAN switch145 in controlling office 110. Network access module 170, which residesin subscriber site 160, connects to ATM network 152.

Subscriber site 160, which may be, for example, a hotel or otherdwelling, comprises a customer premises module 180 and an operatorconsole 190, all connected to network access module 170.

Content Provider Module

Content provider module 110 comprises a real-time encoder 122, anoff-line encoder 114, a personal computer 126, and an authoring console128. Real-time encoder 122 includes, for example, a Lucent SE-1™ digitalvideo system manufactured by Lucent Technologies, Inc. Real-time encoder122 compresses video streams in Motion Picture Experts Group-2 (MPEG-2)format at a rate of 1.5 to 15 Mbps. An input of real-time encoder 122may receive real-time video, such as video from a video conference or alive broadcast. An output of real-time encoder 122 connects to videoserver modulo 140, which stores the compressed video for real-time oroff-line transmission to set top boxes 182 ₁-182 _(M) or personalcomputers 186 ₁-186 _(M).

Off-line encoder 124 includes, for example, an Optivision™ videorecorder/player (e.g., model VS-40), which compresses video streams inMPEG-2 or MPEG-1 formats. Off-line encoder 124 may include a 9-Gigabitshard drive, a 4×CD recorder, or an 8 mm tape drive. Off-line encoder 124connects to LAN Switch 145 using a standard 10baseT or 100baseT networkport. An operator may locally control the operation of off-line encoder124 via an attached keyboard and a mouse. Off-Line encoder 104 mayreceive input from a video camera, laser disc player, or a VideoCassette Recorder (VCR). The input may be in form of digital frames,which are stored on a D1 tape or comply with a conventional encodingstandard, such as National TV Standardization Committee (NTSC), PhaseAlternate Line (PAL), or S-VHS standards.

Authoring console 128 may be a personal computer, which may includeWindows NT™ operating system developed by Microsoft, Netscape NavigatorGold™ software developed by Netscape, and Ulead PhotoImpact™ softwaredeveloped by Ulead Systems. A system developer may use the NetscapeNavigator Gold™ software to develop, publish, and test web pages, whichfunction as the graphical user interface for IMS 100. The systemdeveloper may use the Ulead PhotoImpact™ software to create, forexample, graphics on the web pages. After testing the web pages, thesystem developer may download the web pages onto web server 134, wherethe web pages may be accessed by customer premise module 180.

Video Server Module

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of video server module 140 in accordance withmethods and systems consistent with the invention. Video server module140 may include, for example, a MediaCUBE 3000™ video servermanufactured by nCUBE. As shown, video server module 140 comprises Nnodes 200 ₁-200 _(N), which are interconnected in a Hypercubeconfiguration and connect via a bus 210 to a disk storage 220. Thenumber of nodes 200 ₁-200 _(N), N, may be in the range of 1 to 10000,and may be configured based on the number of video streams that must beconcurrently delivered to subscriber site 160 and the bit rate of thevideo streams. The maximum number of concurrent video streams may beincreased by increasing the number of nodes 200 ₁-200 _(N).

Disk storage 220 includes an array of K hard disks 220 ₁-220 _(K), whichstore video titles in stripped form and in MPEG-2 format at, forexample, 3-6 Mbps encoding rate. The number of hard disks 220 ₁-220_(K), K, may be in the range 1 to 256, and may be configured based onthe total duration of the video titles that must be stored. To providemultiple, concurrent, time displaced access to a single video title,each video title is divided into small segments (called stripes), whichare stored throughout disks 220 ₁-220 _(K). The total duration of videotitles stored may increased by increasing the number hard disks 220₁-220 _(K).

Nodes 200 ₁-200 _(N) retrieve the stripped video associated with videotitles from disks 220 ₁-220 _(K), and recombine the retrieved strippedvideo into contiguous video streams. Nodes 200 ₁-200 _(N) then convertthe video streams into ATM format for transporting the video streamsover ATM network 152.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a nod, for example node 200 ₁, in videoserver module 140 in accordance with methods and systems consistent withthe invention. Node 200 ₁ comprises a processor 300, which connects viaa bus 310 to a memory 320, an ATM interface module 330, and a SmallComputer System Interface module (SCSI interface) 340.

Memory 320 includes an operating system 324 and a video server program322, which are executed by processor 300. Operating system 324 mayinclude MediaCUBE 3000™ operating system software developed by nCUBE.Video server program 322 may include, for example, Oracle Video Server™software developed by Oracle, which retrieves stripped video address, aVirtual Path Identifier (VPI), and a Virtual Circuit Identifier (VCI),and stores the same in a network database in system controller 132. AVPI and VCI combination uniquely identifies a pre-establishedbidirectional 25 Mbps ATM connection, which is dedicated to each of settop boxes 182 ₁-182 _(M) and personal computers 186 ₁-186 _(M).

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a set top box, for example set top box 182₁, in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the invention.Set top box 182 ₁ may be an Online Media STB2™ manufactured by Acorn. Asshown, set top box 182 ₁ comprises a processor 400, which connects via abus 410 to a memory 420, a decoder 430, an input device interface 440,an output device 450, and an ATM interface module 460.

Memory 420 includes a browser program 422, a video client program 424,and an operating system 426, which are executed by processor 400.Browser program 422 may include a web browsing software, such as theLite™ web browsing software developed by Acorn.

Browser program 422 may communicate with web server 124 using theHypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). Browse program 422 may retrieve fromweb server 124 data files 526 ₁-526 _(P) (e.g., web pages), which may bein Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) format and may include text,graphics, audio, and video. The web pages, which serve as a graphicaluser interface, may include lists of video titles indexed by actors,directors, category (e.g, western, suspense, comedy, or drama) and listsof information such as, weather and news, on-line shopping, interactivegames, and broadcast video.

Browser program 422 may also communicate via web server 134 with IPnetwork 155, and retrieve web pages from web sites that can be accessedvia IP network 155. Browser program 422 may then display the retrievedweb pages via output device interface 450 on a display monitor.

Video client program 424 receives via ATM interface module 460 a videostream on a pre-established bidirectional 25 Mbps connection in ATMnetwork 152, decodes the video stream using decoder 430, and displaysthe video stream via output device interface 450 on a display monitor.Furthermore, video client program 424 formats video control commands,for example Play, Forward, Reverse, Stop, and Pause commands, which arereceived via input device interface 440, and sends the commands via thepre-established connection to video server module 130 using, forexample, the Oracle Media Net™ protocol.

Input device interface 440 interfaces with, for example, a remotecontrol device, a keyboard, or a joystick for receiving subscribercommands. A subscriber may interact with set top box 182 ₁ via, forexample, a remote control device by moving a cursor to a highlightedtext or object and clicking on the text or the object. Browser program422 and video client program 424 interpret the clicking action as acommand or request, which ATM interface module 460 formats into one ormore ATM cells and transmits to controlling office 110.

Output device interface 450 interface with a display monitor, such as atelevision set or a display monitor, for displaying data and videoreceived, respectively, by browser program 422 and video client program424.

In addition, set top box 182 ₁ may include a Macrovision™ chip setmanufactured by Macrovision for preventing a subscriber at subscribersite 160 from taping or recording a video stream received by set top box182 ₁.

Personal computers 186 ₁-186 _(M) may include any computer, such as IBMcompatible PCs or Macintosh PCs. Each personal computer 186 ₁-186 _(M)may include Windows NT™ operating system developed by Microsoft,Macintosh™ operating system developed by Apple Computer, Inc., orNetscape® Navigator™ web browsing software developed by Netscape.

In addition, each personal computer 186 ₁-186 _(M) includes a NetworkInterface Card (NIC) and software for receiving a video stream on apre-established 25 Mbps ATM connection or a 10 to 100 Mbps Ethernetconnection dedicated to the personal computer, and for sending videocontrol commands via the pre-established connection to video servermodule 140.

Using the Netscape® Navigator™ web browsing software, each personalcomputer 186 ₁-186 _(M) may communicate with web server 134 using theHTTP protocol, and retrieve web pages from web server 134 and other websites in the Internet.

Management Module

Referring back to FIG. 1, management module 130 includes systemcontroller 132 and web server 134, both of which connect to LAN switch145. System controller 132, which may be a SUN SPARC™ workstationmanufactured by SUN Microsystems, Inc., includes a UNIX™ titles fromdisks 220 ₁-220 _(K), and recombines the retrieved stripped video titlesinto contiguous video streams using the Real Time Streaming Protocol(RTSP).

ATM interface module 330, which connects to high capacity transportsystem 150 via a 155 Mbps (OC-3) or 622 Mbps (OC-12) link, formats eachvideo stream into a plurality of ATM cells, and transmits the cells viaATM network 150 on a pre-established bidirectional 25 Mbps connectionusing, for example, the ATM Adaptation Layer 5 (AAL5) or AAL1 protocols.The quality of service parameters, which may include cell delayvariation, cell transfer delay, and cell loss ratio, may bepredetermined based on the desired quality of the video that must bedelivered to customer premise module 180.

SCSI interface module 340 includes a 16 bit channel with a 20 Mbpsthroughput for retrieving stripped video titles from hard disks 220₁-220 _(K) using the Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) protocol.

Network Access Module

Network access module 170 includes ATM switch 171, which connects via,for example, bidirectional STM-1 multi-mode fiber links to ATM switches172 and 173. ATM switch 171 may be a FORE ASX-1000™ ATM switchmanufactured by FORE Systems, Inc. ATM 171 may include, for example, a10 Gbps switch fabric with 16 line card slots.

ATM switches 172 and 173 connect via bidirectional 25 Mbps ATM links orvia bidirectional 10 to 100 Mbps Ethernet links to customer premisemodule 180. In the case of 25 Mbps ATM links, ATM switches 172 and 173may each include a FORE ASX-200WG-D1™ ATM switch manufactured by FORESystems, Inc. Furthermore, ATM switches 172 and 173 each may include,for example, a 2.5 Gbps switch fabric with 4 line card slots. A systemadministrator may configure ATM switches 171-173 via system controller132.

Customer Premise Module

Referring back to FIG. 1, customer premise module 180 includes aplurality of clients such as, set top boxes 182 ₁-182 _(M) and personalcomputers 186 ₁-186 _(M). A system administrator assigns to each of settop boxes 182 ₁-182 _(M) and personal computers 186 ₁-186 _(M) a uniqueIP operating system and a Hewlett Packard OpenView™ (HP OpenView)software developed by Hewlett Packard. System controller 132 monitors,for example, web server 134, video server module 140, ATM network 152,network access module 170, and set top boxes 182 ₁-182 _(M).

System controller 132 monitors each module, for example set top boxes182 ₁-182 _(M), video server module 140, and network access module 170,by sending at fixed intervals echo messages to each module using theSimple Network Management Protocol (SNMP). When a module does notrespond to an echo message, system controller 132 determines a faultcondition. When system controller 132 detects a fault condition, itnotifies a system administrator by displaying a color coded faultindication on a display monitor and by adding an entry to a fault log.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of web server 134 in accordance with methodsand systems consistent with the present invention. As shown, web server134 comprises a processor 500, which connects via a bus 510 to memory520, secondary storage 530, ATM interface module 540, IP interfacemodule 550, and input/output interface 560.

Memory 520 comprises a web server program 522, an operating system 524,a set of data files 526 ₁-526 _(P), and a subscriber database 528. Webserver program 522 and operating system 524 include sets of instructionsin the form of software, which processor 500 executes. Web serverprogram 522 may provide access to data files 526 ₁-526 _(P), verifysubscriber authorization when requesting access to data files 526 ₁-526_(P), send subscriber selections for video titles to video server module140, and function as a gateway for accessing IP network 155, whichsubscribers may access via set top boxes 182 ₁-182 _(M) and personalcomputers 186 ₁-186 _(M).

Operating system 524 may include a Windows NT™ operating systemdeveloped by Microsoft. Data files 526 ₁-526 _(P), which may be in HTMLformat, include listings of video titles by category, listings ofinformation such as, weather and news, and listings of services, forexample, on-line shopping and access to the Internet.

Subscriber database 528 includes an entry for each subscriber insubscriber site 160, where each entry identifies a particular level ofaccess to data files 526 ₁-526 _(P). For example, an entry may restricta subscriber's access to a subset or none of data files 526 ₁-526 _(P).

Secondary storage 530 comprises a disk drive and a tape drive or CD ReadOnly Memory (ROM). From the tape drive or CD ROM, software and data maybe loaded onto the disk drive, which can then be copied into memory 510.Similarly, software and data in memory 510 may be copied onto the diskdrive, which can then be loaded onto the tape drive or CD ROM.

ATM interface module 540 comprises hardware and software or firmware forsending and receiving ATM cells over ATM network 152.

IP interface module 550 comprises hardware and software or firmware forsending and receiving IP messages over IP network 155.

Input/output interface 560 comprises hardware and software forinterfacing an input and an output device such as, a keyboard and adisplay monitor, respectively. A system administrator may add, delete,and update entries in subscriber database 528 via input/output interface560. In addition, the system administrator may also add, delete, andupdate entries in subscriber database 528 via operator console 190,which communicates with web server 134 using a TCP/IP protocol.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart of the steps performed by a client, for example,set top box 182 ₁, system controller 132, web server 134, and videoserver module 140 in accordance with methods and systems consistent withthe present invention. When a subscriber turns on set top box 182 ₁,operating system 426 in set top box 182 ₁ boots is up and sends a signalto system controller 132, notifying system controller 132 that set topbox 182 ₁ is on (step 600). In response to the signal, system controller132 downloads pre-assigned IP address, VCI, and VPI information to settop box 182 ₁ (step 610).

System controller 132 then configures set top box 182 ₁ by downloadingweb browser program 422 into set top box 182 ₁ using Network File System(NFS) protocol over TCP/IP protocol (step 620). After system controller132 downloads web browser program 422 into set top box 182 ₁, operatingsystem 426 in set to box 182 ₁ starts up web browser program 422.

Using the HTTP protocol, web browser program 422 then sends a request toweb server 134 to retrieve a data file 526 ₁-526 _(P) that includes ahome page (step 630). After verifying the access level of set top box182 ₁ from subscriber data base 528, web server program 522 in webserver 134 downloads the home page into set top box 182 ₁. Web browserprogram 422 then displays the home page on a display monitor attached toset top box 182 ₁.

FIG. 7 illustrates a home page 700 in accordance with methods andsystems consistent with the invention. Home page 700 may include alisting of available programs, such as movies, news & weather, on-lineshopping, interactive games, and access to the Internet.

The subscriber then navigates through the one or more web pages andmakes a selection by clicking on a text or a graphical object or a webpage (step 640). For example, when the subscriber clicks on the text“Movies” in home page 700, web browser program 422 retrieves from webserver 134 and displays a listing of categories of video titles 800(shown in FIG. 8) from which the subscriber can make a selection.Alternatively, when the subscriber clicks on the text “News & Weather”in home page 700, web browser program 422 retrieves from web server 134and displays a listing of news and weather programs 900 (shown in FIG.9), or when the subscriber clicks on the text “On-Line Shopping,” webbrowser program 422 retrieves and displays a listing of stores 1000(shown in FIG. 10).

After the subscriber selects a particular video title, web browserprogram 422 sends the selection to web server 134 (step 650). Web serverprogram 522 in web server 134 then sends via LAN switch 145 to videoserver module 140 a request, identifying the selected video title andthe IP address of set top box 182 ₁ (step 660).

Video server program 322 in video server module 140 sets up a videosession with set top box 182 ₁ by mapping the IP address of set top box182 ₁ to a VCI and VPI combination, which uniquely identifies abidirectional 25 Mbps connection in ATM network 152, which a systemsadministrator has pre-allocated to set top box 182 ₁ (step 670). Videoserver program 322 may perform the mapping by using the IP address as anindex into a pre-configured address table in video server module 140.

Video server program 322 retrieves the selected video title, which isstripped in form of smaller segments across disks 220 ₁-220 _(K), andrecombines the retrieved segments into contiguous video streams usingthe Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) (step 680). Video server program322 then sends the video stream to set top box 182 ₁ on thepre-allocated bidirectional connection using the Oracle Media Net™protocol over MPEG-2 and AAL5 protocols.

Video client program 424 in set top box 182 ₁ receives via ATM interfacemodule 460 the video stream, decodes the video stream using decoder 430,and displays the decoded video stream via output device interface 450 ona display monitor (step 690). Furthermore, video client program 424 mayreceive via input device interface 440 video control commands from aremote control device (step 695). The control commands may include Play,Forward, Reverse, Stop, and Pause commands. Video client program 424then formats and sends the commands via the pre-allocated bidirectionalconnection to video server module 140 using the Oracle Media Net™protocol. When video server module 140 receives a Stop command, videoserver program 322 terminates the video session.

While it has been illustrated and described what are at presentconsidered to be preferred embodiments and methods of the presentinvention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art thatvarious changes and modifications may be made, and equivalents may besubstituted for elements thereof without departing from the true scopeof the invention.

In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particularelement, technique or implementation to the teachings of the presentinvention without departing from the central scope of the invention.Therefore, it is intended that this invention not be limited to theparticular embodiments and methods disclosed herein, but that theinvention include all embodiments falling within the scope of theappended claims.

1-26. (canceled)
 27. A system, comprising: a video server that includes:a set of storage devices; a plurality of nodes configured to stream aplurality of video streams from a video title, the video title dividedinto segments stored in the set of storage devices, each of theplurality of nodes comprising a processor, each of the processorsrunning a video server program configured to combine the segments storedin the set of storage devices into the plurality of video streams and tostream the plurality of video streams, and the processors all havingconcurrent access to said set of storage devices for concurrentlystreaming the plurality of video streams; a transport system totransport the plurality of video streams from the video server to aplurality of client devices; and a system controller configured tomonitor the video server and client devices, wherein the monitoringincludes sending echo messages to the video server, determining a faultcondition when the video server does not respond to at least one of theecho messages, and displaying a color coded fault indication on adisplay of the system controller.
 28. The system of claim 27, whereinthe segments are stored throughout the set of storage devices.
 29. Thesystem of claim 27, wherein each of the plurality of client devices isconfigured to receive at least some of the plurality of video streams.30. The system of claim 29, wherein the plurality of client devicesincludes at least one of a set top box or a personal computer.
 31. Thesystem of claim 27, further comprising: an encoder for encoding videoand for storing the encoded video in the video server.
 32. The system ofclaim 31, wherein the encoder comprises a real-time encoder for encodingreal-time video.
 33. The system of claim 31, wherein the encodercomprises an off-line encoder for encoding off-line video.
 34. Thesystem of claim 27, further comprising a web server to store data andsend the data via the transport system to the plurality of clientdevices.
 35. The system of claim 34, wherein each of the plurality ofclient devices comprises: a browser program to retrieve the data fromthe web server; a video client program to receive one of the videostreams and control the video stream; and a processor to execute thebrowser program and the video client program.
 36. The system of claim34, wherein the web server interfaces an Internet Protocol (IP) network.37. The system of claim 34, wherein the data is in Hypertext MarkupLanguage (HTML) format.
 38. The system of claim 27, wherein each of theplurality of nodes further comprises: an interface module configured toformat the video streams into packets and transmit the packets on thetransport system; and a disk controller configured to retrieve the videotitles from the set of storage devices.
 39. The system of claim 27,wherein the transport system includes one or more asynchronous transfermode (ATM) networks.
 40. The system of claim 39, wherein the transportsystem includes pre-established connections associated with theplurality of client devices, respectively.
 41. The system of claim 27,wherein the video server program configures a video session with theplurality of client devices by mapping an IP address of each of theplurality of client devices to a network address of the client device.42. A method comprising: receiving at a video server a plurality ofrequests initiated by each of a plurality of client devices to receiveone or more video titles, the one or more video titles each divided intosegments and stored in a set of storage devices; streaming by aplurality of nodes of the video server a plurality of video streamscorresponding to the one or more video titles, wherein the plurality ofvideo streams are formed by combining the segments stored in the set ofstorage devices, wherein each of the plurality of nodes comprises aprocessor having concurrent access to the set of storage devices, andwherein the plurality of video streams are streamed concurrently;transporting the plurality of video streams via a transport system;monitoring the video server at a system controller by sending echomessages to the video server; determining a fault condition when thevideo server does not respond to at least one of the echo messages; anddisplaying a color coded fault indication on a display of the systemcontroller.
 43. The method of claim 42, wherein the segments are storedthroughout the set of storage devices.
 44. The method of claim 42,further comprising: receiving each of the plurality of video streams ata respective requesting client of the plurality of plurality of clientdevices.
 45. The method of claim 42, further comprising: encoding videoreceived from a video input; and storing the encoded video as the videotitle in the video server.
 46. The method of claim 45, wherein theencoding comprises at least one of encoding real-time video or encodingoff-line video.
 47. The method of claim 42, further comprising:configuring a video session with each of the plurality of client devicesby mapping an IP address of each of the plurality of client devices to anetwork address associated with said client device.
 48. The method ofclaim 42, wherein receiving the plurality of requests initiated by eachof a plurality of client devices includes: transmitting by a web serverto the plurality of client devices a graphical user interface includinga number of indications corresponding to the one or more video titles;receiving by the web server selections from the plurality of clientdevices of the one or more video titles; and sending the plurality ofrequests from the web server to the video server, each of the pluralityof requests including an identifier of a selected video title.
 49. Themethod of claim 42, further comprising: receiving at the video serverfrom the plurality of client devices one or more control commands; andadjusting the streaming of the plurality of video streams in accordancewith the one or more control commands; wherein the one or more controlcommands include at least one of a play, forward, reverse, stop andpause command.